KEY POINTS:
Webb's put together an excellent catalogue for its first big sale of the year, of modern and contemporary art, and its Newmarket rooms were packed to the gills on Monday night.
All the greats - including McCahon, Hotere, Walters, Hanly, Hammond - were represented in the 135 lots,
along with such contemporary luminaries as Shane Cotton, John Walsh and Seraphine Pick.
Based on final bids, the night's total was more than $2 million, with top price of $320,000 ($364,992, with buyer's premium and GST) going for McCahon's classic 1976 work Noughts and Crosses - 2 VII.
Another stunning McCahon, from his early Titirangi series, went to $220,000 ($250,932), as did Gordon Walters' pale blue koru from 1972.
Top prices bid, but in each instance the works were sold "subject" - in other words, the bids did not reach the vendors' reserve. These sales, and many others from the night, will be negotiated over the next few days.
Some buyers on the night were more successful. Tony Fomison's The Handing-On went for $150,000 ($171,090); Ralph Hotere's Lo Negro Sobre Lo Oro for $135,000 ($153,981) and Pat Hanly's Girl on a Couch for $95,000 ($108,357).
Three other, rather similar, Hanlys did not do so well, two being sold subject at well below the lower estimates and the third failing to attract a decent opening bid.
The several Hoteres attracted good bidding, but an early, somewhat chaotic work by Bill Hammond struggled to reach a bid of $40,000, against its estimate of $70,000 to $90,000. This work was from the Blythe collection, whose eight members were selling up after nearly 20 years.
Also on sale was the collection of the Rata group, disbanding after 10 years.
Members of both groups have had the pleasure of sharing some very good works over the years and a worthwhile capital gain at the end, although not as much as the estimates on some of the more valuable works would suggest they had hoped for.
Down the road at the International Art Centre, last week also saw some strong buying, with a record of $37,000 ($41,995 with premium and GST) set for veteran chronicler of Kiwi life Garth Tapper. His Musician - Puhoi was a lovely piece of nostalgia, especially for those who have ever shared a pint and good times in the Puhoi pub.
Auckland's newest auction house, Art+Object, is up and running at last.
With premises at 3 Abbey St, Newton - just off Newton and Karangahape Roads - the team of former Webb's people will kick off with sales of post-1990 art and applied art early in May.
Already indicated are works by Damien Hirst, Bill Hammond, Ann Robinson and Ronnie van Hout. The directors promise a "new, more contemporary voice ... to reinvigorate the New Zealand auction scene".
Finally, not just the auction crowd was stunned last year when Cordy's got just over $65,000 for a rare Royal Doulton Maori chief character jug. Well, hold your breath, because a Hamilton collector has come up with a second jug, slightly different from the first and thought to be equally rare.
Originally bought years ago in Stratford, of all places, it will be the highlight of Cordy's next antique sale.
COMING UP
Tonight: Webb's, decorative arts.
Tuesday, April 17: Cordy's, antiques and art.
Monday/Tuesday, April 30/May 1: Cordy's, art.
Thursday, May 3: Art+Object, 3 Abbey St, Newton, contemporary art, applied art.
Monday/Tuesday, May 14/15: Dunbar Sloane, Auckland, artefacts, NZ historical, paintings.
Tuesday, May 15: Webb's, traditional New Zealand and foreign art.
Thursday, May 24: Art+Object, new collections (under $5000).
Saturday, May 26: Art+Object, tribal and New Zealand antiques.
Thursday, May 31: Webb's, New Zealand sale.